Did The Orioles Reach On Garrett Atkins?

Even if you do adjust Atkins’ BABIP to the .311 xBABIP mark he posted in 2009, he still only posted a .285/.369/.398 line, which combined with the fact that he’s leaving Coors and moving to the AL East, along with his below-average defense, makes him a pretty big question mark at third base.

It’s not an awful signing, and he’s got decent upside because the guy was a 5.9 WAR player in 2006, but adding Gonzalez and Atkins isn’t going to make Baltimore a contender next season.

why is he declining. If it’s something temporary, anomalous or fixable, you’ve got a potential bargain. And to be frank, considering Atkins’ age, the only variable which you need to worry about is roids. If GA is clean, then there is every chance of a hitter who should be at his peak improving dramatically when backed by a team who rate him and give him every chance.

I think you’ll like this signing. Atkins was a stud for us over his years, even though as you point out, his numbers declined each year.

Ian Stewart is the reason that the Rox had to deal Atkins. Stewart was the top prospect in the organization forever, but he too plays third. Really, Stewart should have been up with the big club in 2007. But Atkins was putting up good numbers in ’07 (his best year was ’06).

The Rockies supposedly shopped Atkins during the offseason last year but were asking too much (rumors of Kevin Slowey or Ben Zobrist as the asking price). They ended up not trading him, he slumped to begin the year, and Stewart stole his spot. Atkins really never got consistent ABs last year, and he is traditionally a slow starter (although not as bad as Tulowitzki).

Atkins is a good player. He hits lots of doubles in the gaps (when he is swing sweet, he’ll be grooving the ball to right center). His range is limited, but when he gets to a ball, he usually fields it cleanly and makes a strong throw. In terms of speed, you can time him with a calendar.

As a Rockies fan, I’m sorry to see him go, but his spot got taken by a younger guy with a higher ceiling. I’m wishing that they traded him last year and got something for him instead of non-tendering. This is the same reason they should trade Hawpe this year…

given Atkins offensive decline and lack of defense. I would much rather have had Crede, who would be cheaper and much better with the glove, but is an injury risk. All of that young pitching is going to want a solid defense behind them as they take their lumps. But giving Atkins a chance might not be a bad deal, provided that he’s hungry for a comeback and not another cheeseburger.

I do think they overpaid, but a team like the O’s have got to overpay to get FAs to sign there. Would you want to go to a team who wins 65 games/year, and faces the Yanks and Red Sox 36 games a year?

The fact that he can play either corner helps make the deal work. But the O’s are still looking at Atkins, Ty Wigginton, Michael Aubrey and maybe Luke Scott at the corners, not a group that inspires a lot of confidence.

I really hope this works out for them.

For five or six potential wins, the Orioles have spent at least $19 million dollars on Atkins, Gonzalez and Kevin Millwood. That is not much over the market’s current rate, still given their likely standing in the division, I don’t see the need to pay sticker price in what is shaping up as a buyer’s market.

Amen. I don’t mind signing vets as stopgaps. But surely there was a cheaper way to do it.